Bahrain Mirror: The Al-Wasat local newspaper published a summary of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) report which placed Bahrain on its Tier 2 rank on terms of religious freedoms. Bahrain was covered in the Other Countries Monitored section of the 2017 Annual Report, as a consequence of deteriorating conditions of religious freedoms.

The 2017 annual report presents the results of commissioners' work and that of the professional team through a year in order to document the practiced violations and give independent recommendations to the US Government. The 2017 annual report covers the incidents of year 2016 till February 2017.

The commission classified 16 states as "countries of particular concern" on terms of religious freedom (Tier 1). Meanwhile, Bahrain came among 12 states of (Tier 2) rank

In July 2016, USCIRF staff travelled to Bahrain to assess religious freedom conditions and to meet with U.S. Embassy officials, the vice chair of the government-appointed National Institution for Human Rights, and representatives of civil society and religious communities. The report indicated that there was a sharp increase in the number of interrogations, arrests, convictions, and arbitrary detentions of Shi'a Muslim clerics. In addition, authorities denied some Shi'a clerics access to specific mosques and banned others from conducting Friday prayers, sermons, and other religious services.

"Discrimination against Shi'a Muslims in government employment and other public and social services continued, as did inflammatory, sectarian rhetoric by pro-government media, despite officials often making public statements condemning sectarian hatred and violence," the report read.

It went on to say "Although the government continued to make progress in implementing some recommendations from the 2011 report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), it has not fully implemented recommendations that would improve religious freedom conditions."

The commission presented a number of recommendations to the US government, urging it to address religious freedom concerns with the Bahraini government both privately and publicly and report openly on the government's success or failure to implement genuine reforms; press for at the highest levels and work to secure the unconditional release of prisoners of conscience and religious freedom advocates, and press the country's government to treat prisoners humanely and allow them access to family, human rights monitors, adequate medical care, lawyers, and the ability to practice their faith.

It also urged the Bahraini government to cease its targeting of individuals, particularly religious leaders, on the basis of religion or belief or advocacy of human rights and religious freedom and to ensure clear and consistent messaging at all levels of the U.S. government regarding Bahrain's human rights and religious freedom obligations under international law.

The commission also urged the US government to assist in the training of government entities, including security officials, prosecutors, and judges, to better address sectarian violence and incitement through practices consistent with international human rights standards and to include Bahraini civil society and religious leaders in exchange and U.S. visitor programs that promote religious tolerance, interreligious understanding, and interfaith dialogue.

It called on the US government to urge the Bahraini government to implement fully the BICI recommendations, including those related to freedom of religion and belief, sectarian incitement, and accountability for past abuses against the Shi'a community.

It recommended the US government to undertake and make public an annual assessment of Bahrain's progress, or lack thereof, on implementing BICI recommendations; urge the Bahraini government to reimburse the Shi'a community for expending its own funds to rebuild seven mosques and religious structures that were demolished in 2011 and urge the Bahraini government to pass a law in the Shura Council addressing incitement to violence in the media, ensuring compliance with international human rights standards.

The commission urged the Bahraini government to cooperate fully with international mechanisms on human rights issues, including by inviting visits from the United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief.

The report pointed out that with many political opposition members and human rights activists serving prison terms or facing criminal charges, during the past year Bahraini authorities targeted Shi'a clerics, many of whom are not affiliated with any political entity.

"The Bahraini government has suggested that some clerics have ties to Iran, although no criminal charges have been filed based on these allegations. Bahraini Shi'a clerics deny any subversive relationship with Iran and say their primary tie with the country is having acquired religious training in Qom, Iran, the largest center for Shi'a religious study in the world," the report added.

It mentioned that since June, Bahraini authorities interrogated, charged, and/or sentenced at least 80 Shi'a clerics, imposing travel bans against several. For example Sheikh Mohamed Al-Mansi was charged with delivering an unauthorized sermon and inciting hatred against the regime. In June, Shi'a cleric Sheikh Mohamed Sanqoor was banned from conducting sermons and Friday prayers at Imam Sadiq mosque in Diraz. In July, Sheikh Sanqoor was charged with incitement against the regime and preaching without a permit; his case is ongoing.

In August 2016, a Bahraini court convicted Sheikh Ali Humaidan of illegal gathering and sentenced him to one year in prison for being part of a peaceful gathering outside the home of the most senior Shi'a cleric in Bahrain, Sheikh Isa Qassim, whose citizenship authorities had stripped arbitrarily in June.

Immediately after Sheikh Qassim's citizenship was revoked, mass protests erupted in his hometown of Diraz, which led to a full-time security presence and limited or no ability to access the locality. At the end of the reporting period, at least eight other clerics were facing similar charges.

Also in August, Shi'a cleric and religious freedom activist Maytham Al-Salman was interrogated for 24 hours and charged with illegal gathering; his case remained pending at the end of the reporting period. In December 2015, he was interrogated about his criticism of Bahraini government policies and his advocacy of religious freedom, and in March 2016 he was charged with "expressing views regarding a case still in court," inciting hatred against the regime, and insulting religious symbols. The report tackled Al-Wefaq dissolution and said that the government continued to prosecute Shi'a Muslim political figures-primarily affiliated with Al Wefaq-on charges that are politically motivated but also have implications for religious freedom. In June, the Ministry of Interior announced it was revoking the citizenship of Sheikh Qassim, although he has no formal affiliation with the political society. Sheikh Qassim was also charged with money laundering, although his lawyers say these charges are unsubstantiated; his trial has been postponed numerous times and remains ongoing. Since Sheikh Qassim was charged, Shi'a protesters and security forces have engaged in low-scale clashes around his home in Diraz. According to human rights groups, since August 2016 at least 19 defendants have been sentenced to a total of 23 years of prison time in nine separate cases for gathering in the Diraz area.

The revocation of Sheikh Qassim's citizenship was followed in July by the government's decision to dissolve Al-Wefaq and seize its assets, on accusations that it provided "a nourishing environment for terrorism, extremism, and violence." Al-Wefaq disputed these charges and appealed the ruling.

In December 2016, Al Wefaq's former secretary general, Sheikh Ali Salman, was sentenced to nine years in prison in a retrial that was ordered by the Court of Cassation in October. In May 2016, the Bahrain First High Court of Appeals had affirmed Sheikh Salman's original June 2015 conviction and increased his sentence from four years to nine years.

Salman was convicted on a range of security-related charges, including inciting regime change and insulting the Ministry of Interior; UN experts have criticized these charges as violations of the freedoms of expression, association, and religion. The State Department has called for his unconditional release. Sheikh Salman has been imprisoned since December 2014.

While government officials continued to discourage sectarian language in media outlets, public and private media continued at times to use inflammatory, sectarian rhetoric.

The commission said that the Shura Council has not passed media laws that would curb incitement to violence, hatred, and sectarianism as recommended in the BICI report. Nevertheless, some individuals have been charged and prosecuted for incitement to hatred and violence against Shi'a Muslims.

It indicated that in May 2016, the parliament passed, and the Shura Council ratified, article 5 of the Political Societies Law, which prevents clerics who give sermons from joining political societies that engage in any political activities. The law also states that "political societies' heads and leaders shouldn't be religious preachers, even if they occupy the position in the societies without being paid."

In October 2016, authorities reportedly interfered with some Ashura commemorations and removed Ashura banners in certain locations. Bahraini officials claim they were forced to intervene due to excessive vandalism and looting by youth, and they arrested several individuals. In addition, at least five Shi'a clerics were interrogated related to speeches given during Ashura commemorations.

As for implementing BICI recommendations, the Bahraini government announced in May 2016 that it had implemented all 26 of the BICI recommendations, including those related to freedom of religion or belief. However, human rights groups and the State Department disagree with that assessment, concluding that only some recommendations have been implemented, while others are either fulfilled partially or not at all.

A June 2016 State Department report assessing BICI implementation found that "much work remains to be done," including in areas related to religious freedom and sectarian incitement.

Despite a self-imposed deadline of the end of 2014, the Bahraini government has not fully completed rebuilding all 30 of the destroyed religious structures identified in the BICI report.

The report stated "In July 2016, the government claimed to have spent approximately US$10 million-up from $8 million the previous year-to rebuild Shi'a mosques and religious structures, more than twice what it pledged in 2012."

"In May, the government stated publicly that it completed rebuilding the mosques and religious structures and all were approved for use. Despite this claim, the government has completed only 20 structures, most of which are in use, and the Shi'a community has rebuilt seven structures. Three structures still require legal and administrative approval and no progress has been made on their rebuilding," it added.

The government has stated that it helped secure legal permits for the seven structures rebuilt by the Shi'a community, but despite indicating willingness in the past, officials have not reimbursed the community.

According to the State Department, the Bahraini government claimed it has reimbursed the Shi'a community for reconstruction costs through payments to the national Shi'a endowment; however, members of the Shi'a community dispute this claim.

As recommended in the BICI report, the Bahraini government has created entities to address accountability for abuses, including a Civilian Settlement Office to compensate for deaths and injuries from the 2011 unrest, as well as an Office of the Ombudsman in the Ministry of Interior to ensure compliance with policing standards and receive reports of misconduct.

However, the government still has not adequately held high-level security officials accountable for serious abuses.

Arabic Version